I've been binge-watching the series Justifiedof late. Born from a story by Elmore Leonard and starring actor Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood), Justified's strength as a show is in the writing and the strong performances from Olyphant and the other cast members. It's not a show that possesses the kind of dramatic depth of The Wire, Mad Men or Orange is the New Black but what it lacks in narrative complexity and sociological dimension, it makes up for in sheer entertainment value. Set in the backwoods of Kentucky where organized crime and drug dealing is rampant, the straight-talking, quick-shooting U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens finds his commitment to law enforcement at odds with both his scheming father and the various drug-dealing factions that battle for turf in Harlan County.

Every May television networks announce the fate of their current lineup of television series and present their new shows to advertisers in what are called upfronts. The upfronts earlier this month weren't too shocking, but this year marks the end of many beloved and/or highly acclaimed series. While you wait for the slate of new shows to begin in the fall, re-watch a few that ended this year:

You can also place a hold on the first season of this year's smash hit, Empire, and catch up on the original runs of two cult favorites reportedly coming back in the near future: Twin Peaks and The X Files.

After a recent binge-watching of the fantastic BBC series Call the Midwife, I decided to explore other British films that were made or set in the post-war era, focusing my interest upon the 1950’s and early 60's, a time when England faced significant social and economic challenges. Many of these films depict the private trials of characters confronted by rigid class divisions within British society as well as the social and personal costs of having to rebuild after the war ended.

The Horse’s Mouth—Before he played Obi-Wan in Star Wars, British actor Alec Guinness played a highly dedicated painter of loose moral fiber in this 1958 comedic romp.

The Deep Blue Sea—Terrence Davies’ most recent film is a tender, wonderfully acted and beautiful evocation of a married woman’s love for another man and the troublesome conflict between adhering to social norms or following one’s heart (see also: A Brief Encounter).

The Long Day Closes—This quintessential Terrence Davies film that put him on the cinematic map, is a semi-autobiographical portrait of a young man’s difficult and complicated engagement with adolescence. Gorgeously shot, edited and scored, this is Davies dreamy evocation of memory and nostalgia even when it delves deep into the sorrows of growing up during difficult times.

The Loneliness of the Long Distant Runner—A film about an angry young man’s struggle against social norms that tangentially raises critical questions about the legitimacy of authoritarian institutions that mediate relations between the haves and have not’s.

The Hour—Only two seasons long but a great BBC series that like Mad Men, depicts the emergence of an industry (television journalism) as it struggles to develop amid the ever present social anxiety and fear of Eastern Bloc communism. Loads of intrigue and plot twists!

March is Women’s History Month and so in keeping with the theme of highlighting the achievements and contributions of women involved with movie-making, here’s a list of writers, directors and some of their groundbreaking works.

Many of my friends have shared their enthusiasm for the series House of Cards. I had never seen an episode but knew from awards shows that it was highly acclaimed. This political season seemed like a good time to watch it.

As my husband and I have been saying to each other as we have been binge watching season #1…is there anyone to like in this show or is everyone a back-stabbing, double-crossing politician?? So far the answer is NO….there is no one to like BUT it is very compelling.

My friends tell me I will be appalled at how Frank Underwood becomes President without being elected. If we watch enough episodes tonight, maybe he will be President by the morning.

This is just one of many good series in our AV collection. I have several on my list for watching this winter.

The Good Wife is one of the best network television shows and after five seasons, still going strong with its mixture of secrecy, passion, scheming and legal maneuvering.

It possesses all of the elements for a successful serial: power politics, courtroom confrontations drawn from the headlines, mysterious characters, well-paced intrigue, and nuanced storytelling. Throw in a fantastic cast (that’s refreshingly racially diverse) that brings to life the smart writing and you have a hit show worth binging on.

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The Good Wife

The Danish political drama Borgen has been favorably compared to the American hit show House of Cards. While it resists the kind of farcical plotlines and hyper-cynicism of the Netflix-produced show, there features more than enough intrigue and Machiavelian maneuvering for political power to keep the storylines interesting and germane. Some critics have also alluded to The West Wing’s influence but Borgen resists the kind of naïve portrait of contemporary politics as a romantic idyll or a noble vocation. Borgen’s female protagonist is both a savvy political player engaged in political jousting and a committed wife and mother which suggests that there will be plenty of personal and political sacrifice to go around when the mud begins to fly. This is bingeworthy television, Scandinavian style.

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Borgen

Liked That, Try This is an ongoing series of posts that attempts to help movie audiences find a title that is similar to films they’ve enjoyed in the past or that has some historical, stylistic or thematic connection. Today’s installment focuses on television series.

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The Midwife

At the behest of a friend I began watching the tv series Scandal a couple weeks ago, and was quickly drawn into the world of crisis management firm Olivia Pope and Associates. Pope is a 'fixer'- she and her team get their clients, Washington's elite and well-connected, out of sticky situations in order to protect the clients' public reputations. Most episodes follow a case that Pope and her team must handle, but what I love most about the show are the story arcs involving Pope and her associates: these characters are flawed, and they all have their own secrets to protect. Season two's crazy plot twists will definitely have me tuning in for season three in October!

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Scandal

The BBC’s stylish and entertaining series The Hour has been compared to Mad Men, in large part because of the approximate time period (mid 1950’s) the show is set and because of the copious amount of drinking and smoking that characters indulge in. Aside from those superficial comparisons, The Hour tackles mid-century, hot-button political issues through the prism of an hour-long, topical news program (think early 60 Minutes) run by young, idealistic journalists who inevitably butt heads with both their own management as well as the political establishment. What makes the series really tick is the element of mystery that emerges to provide a bit of tension and noir to this excellent, two-season drama.